Craig Loveless, Prowers Medical Center Chief Executive Officer, provided the Prowers County Commissioners with an update on hospital activities during their July 25th meeting.

Loveless noted the hospital has been recognized by an international accreditation firm based in Norway, DNV GL. He said PMC has received its accreditation based on the company’s standards recognized by the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. “This accreditation takes us to a higher level of recognition, especially with safety and procedural programs,” he explained. Loveless added that PMC was also officially named one of the top 100 critical care access hospitals out of about 1,400 in the country.

Loveless told the commissioners that some new services are becoming available at Prowers Medical Center including the physical therapy’s bloodflow restricted exercise. He explained that this can be a special benefit to the elderly as it allows them to develop muscle strength without having to use heavy weights. He explained, “The use of a tourniquet reduces the amount of oxygen a muscle receives through blood flow which makes the muscle work harder with less effort.” He said hospital employee, Nick Durst, is one of three therapists in the state certified to provide the exercise.

Loveless added that Dr. Foley is focusing on weight loss during pregnancy, one facet of the county being listed as the most obese in the state, especially among the county’s youth. Loveless said the program, however, is not gender specific. Another health related area being offered is hormone therapy for men and women and a treatment is being offered at the hospital for female incontinence.

He concluded his update with a list of services offered at Prowers Medical Center, both in-hospital and by visiting specialists. “Area residents are still unaware of the services we can provide to them, thinking they have to travel to Pueblo or Colorado Springs instead of receiving them here. Did you know you can have your pacemaker checked at PMC? That’s just one of the services we can provide at the local level,” he said.